Integra's First Test
by Evanescently
Summary: Integra struggles with one of the first commands she gives Alucard and the danger that surrounds her as she wields him. She faces the truth of not being an innocent child anymore.  Includes sweeter themes, and will probably continue if reviewers like it
1. The First Command

**A/N:** I'm not exactly sure where this one came from. Actually, I can take a guess. After reading **Unsounded **(best web comic and a must read), which all of my readers and reviewers should take a look at, I looked at Integra and Alucard when they were first working together. This is merely a father/daughter relationship since she's so young.

**Disclaimer:** I do _NOT_, in any way, own Hellsing or the characters in it. It is owned by Kohta Hirano, Dark Horse Manga, and any other business or people who assisted in creating these fascinating characters!

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><p>First Command<p>

Integra, though thirteen at the time, and just stepping into her womanly figure, as well as harnessing the reins of her newfound servant, was pacing nervously from her desk to the window. A storm threatened the manor as ominous clouds approached, crowding the setting sun until the sky darkened completely. Rain began to pelt down on the roof, another unsettling sound to her already wracked nerves. The order that she gave Alucard was harmful enough, but now she couldn't even see to the outside in case the fight came to Hellsing.

"Perhaps I should not have done this," she whispered to herself, forgetting the other person in the room. As much as she hated to admit, everytime Alucard would leave for a potential threat that was always against Integra, she would feel anxious and nagging guilt if he ever came back injured or troubled. But she could never admit that to anyone, and tried not to admit it to herself.

"I doubt Alucard will have trouble taking care of a few Section XIII agents. You forget that he has dealt with worse," Walter's older soothing voice comforted.

The girl folded her arms and squinted, determined to see outside the window, "Yet I wasn't alive then to see it. He could...he could get hurt, Walter..." she swallowed hard, trying to shake off the thought.

The butler gave a resigned look her way, though she was not facing him, and shrugged, "It would be near impossible to kill him as it is. My lady, would…could I bother you with some tea?"

She looked back at him for the first time in ten minutes. Feeling slightly guilty that he had been trying for the better part of an hour to sooth her destructive thoughts, she obliged and sat down in the massive leather chair, her feet barely touching the ground. Walter's eyes unfocused if only for a moment, as if he had seen her father for so many years sit in the same seat. He shook the memory and started to pour the liquid into a beautiful china cup.

"It's not like he hasn't encountered Section XIII before," Integra assured herself as she watched his delicate and precise balance of the pot and tea now being poured.

"Quite," he agreed, "Sir Arthur had the misfortune of dealing with them as well. Rather, these are _your_ first times in encountering Section XIII," he amended lightly.

Her eyes lit up defiantly, "Do you believe that I would not be able to otherwise defend myself if Alucard was not my wielding tool?"

"No," he set the pot down and looked into her naïve eyes so full of potential, full of fresh and pure intentions, and strength that mirrored her father so much. "But Alucard and I would make sure that you do not have to face them alone," he added with a genuine smile.

Integra felt herself inwardly smile, "I know…" she whispered.

Thunder rattled the mansion's old form as the rain pelted harder and harder. Both imagined it was turning into hail and winced at the cacophony. Integra's heart fluttered as light flashed through the room and another loud boom of thunder echoed within the walls. She focused her eyes on the steaming tea and gripped the handle, bringing it gently to her mouth and took a long and therapeutic whiff of the aroma.

"Of course," Walter sat back in his seat, "It didn't help much that they tried to assassinate you in the first place."

The young Hellsing director took a large swig and saw her retainer relax more comfortably now that she had stopped moving.

"They thought me incompetent," she stated with disgust, "And how wrong they were."

She remembered how furious she was the week before. Receiving threats from her uncle was bad enough, but it was a wakeup call to see that now that she was heir to a powerful organization, more and more people with ill-gotten gains would wish her dead and out of the way. Integra's youth and gender seemed somewhat a nuisance to her these days as incompliant subordinates further tried to bury her with work or near impossible tasks. All this to measure her worth, of course, and all the more did she desire to prove them wrong. More often than not, she showed it through Alucard. She would give him free reign to slaughter anyone and anything in his way of achieving her commands. However, this was only limited to ust vampires. This had stopped the Convention of Twelve for some time, but now that she was on Iscariot's radar, a whole new level of games had unveiled itself to her young eyes as she was now faced with the dilemmas of killing humans as well.

Integra took another gulp of her tea and recalled the night she was almost assassinated by an agent. If it weren't for Alucard, she definitely would have died. His shadows and his connection to Integra's welfare through the seals now bonding both had indeed spared her from death, though it was relatively new and at times slower since the seals had to recognize Integra as the heir after Arthur had passed on. What surprised her was not his execution of her orders, but rather the anger in which he performed it.

_Integra felt herself wake up to the sound of a ruffled noise. She glanced around the room and wiped at her eyes._

_"Alucard?" she called softly, knowing he would be able to hear her. There was no answer, which began to concern her. _

_She decided to leave the comfort of her bed, believing he was trying to scare her out of sport. Frustration built within her as she neared the mirror and glanced at her reflection. Integra had looked like she had aged five years. Softly scoffing, she knew it was probably the cause of all the stress now a part of her life. Passing it, she came up next to the curtains by the window._

_"Alucard, if this is supposed to make me scared, you have failed. Show yourself, servant!" she barked angrily._

_A figure revealed itself from the shadows, but his uniform was wrong. it was composed of robes, and had the collar of a...priest? Integra saw something glimmer and her eyes locked on it. A dagger. He concealed it once more within his robe, but her heart began to pound as she started to back up. _

_"Who are you? I demand that you answer!" she tried to stand her ground and look threatening. But the man only chuckled in response._

_"You're the new Hellsing? Please," he said sarcastically and advanced forward._

_Integra felt herself bump up against her bed dresser. She frantically felt around for the knob and opened it as he charged her. Fortunately, he headed straight into the drawer, hitting his waist on it with full force. Integra took that opportunity to race for her nightstand and opened it with haste. She drew out a gun instantly as the man righted himself and aimed for his head._

_"Stop, or I will shoot you," Integra stated with a calmer voice than she thought possible._

_The man's eyebrows rose at the gun, but he then pulled out the same weaponry from within his robe, "Fine, so be it. Fire shall be met with fire."_

_A black mass appeared in between both of them and formed into a tall man. His eyes brightened at the sight of an enemy and his grin soon followed._

_"So you're the agent sent to kill Integra. We've been getting threats from you, scum," the vampire's dark voice muttered, and before the man could interject, Alucard was already slamming into his body. _

"Y_ou would raise a weapon to a child?" Alucard grabbed the man's arm and felt it crunch under his grip._

_The agent screamed in horror as his bones individually cracked as he reached for a dagger attached to his side._

_"By Section XIII Iscariot Organization, she must die, monster!" he shouted back._

_"How dare you raise a weapon to a child? Tell me, who is the monster then?" Alucard growled as the man cowered._

"_ALUCARD!" Integra screamed from her bed as she saw the man stab her servant in the throat and rake it down past his collar bone and to his chest. _

_The monster roared in anger and stinging pain as his other hand instantly shot for the blade. Alucard, still griping the intruder by the arm, yanked it forward and made a bone-shattering roundhouse kick to the legs. The agent screamed, in shock, as he watched his own knees pop backward and out beneath him; he began to fall, completely incapacitated without functional arms and now without functional legs. All he could do was watch the fury burn inside the vampire's eyes…and now the evident hunger bubbling to the surface at the sight of easy prey and so much blood. But suddenly, the monster turned abruptly to the girl._

_Alucard paused and saw the look of utter fear and horror in her eyes. Too young. She was too young for this. Her heart could not possibly take what she had to do next. He could see the green innocence in her that fought back this tragic experience. It clung to her, but at the same time, it was being violently ripped from her with each passing second. This was a test to see if she could really prove her strength, and Alucard frowned at the growing silence. Silence to him meant doubt which meant fear which meant weakness. And weakness was a trait that Hellsing could not afford to have in an heir._

"_My master," Alucard said with some difficulty at the vertical gash in his throat that reached down to his chest, "Your orders, master?"_

_Integra, still clutching her comforter, looked down at her hands. They were trembling. She realized that the death of this man would be on her hands. His blood may be consumed by Alucard, but it would still be her burden to bear and it would still be on her hands. Yet she suddenly felt an emotion well up inside of her: determination. She wasn't going to take any prisoners in who wanted her dead, especially when they belonged to Hellsing's arch enemy: Iscariot. There was no way she would be forgiving, because in this world, such an act cannot be balanced by kindness. Death must be met with death. _

_Integra's head rose and her eyes met Alucard's, "Destroy him."_

A loud crack awoke the young girl from her reverie as she blinked and noticed that Walter was now standing by the window, ever watchful of intruders like the one last week that almost took Integra's life. He would never forgive himself for not arriving fast enough. As if sensing his guilt, she stood up from her desk and approached him.

"Walter, are you alright?" she lightly touched his forearm.

He instinctively moved out of the way and lowered his head submissively, "Only if he can be reassured that the carelessness of one act will be forgiven eventually."

Integra's smaller arms wrapped around his torso and gave him a rough and slightly awkward side hug he did not see coming. She knew he was thinking of the same night she was. "I forgive you, Walter. The fault was not yours."

He smiled and patted her on the head as she released him and looked onward. Integra felt her cheeks warm a little in embarrassment at her childish act, but the end response of Walter being pleased and reassured was worth the expense of her dignity for that moment. Another flash and something out of her peripheral vision moved. Her eyes locked on it as another flash of lightning accompanied the first. A red coat down below them with a mop of black hair was gliding across the wild green grass. Integra felt relief wash over her, until she saw the other figure come up behind him. A figure in familiar robes…

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><p>It's a little taster. I've always wanted to know what it was like for Integra as she first began to give Alucard orders to end people's lives. How she deals with it, and how she lives through it.<p>

Please R&R

-I'm hoping this will be more than one chapter, but it always depends on the feedback a writer receives.


	2. Imminent Trouble

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews so far! Against my better judgment, I post this chapter. It might be still unfinished, but I like it so far...a good deal of luck is in order if I am to do this correctly :)

**Disclaimer:** I do _NOT_, in any way, own Hellsing or the characters in it. It is owned by Kohta Hirano, Dark Horse Manga, and any other business or people who assisted in creating these fascinating characters!

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><p>Imminent Trouble<p>

Walter and Integra let their mouths drop in unison at the sight of a second trespasser on Hellsing manor. A horrible knot twisted in the young director's stomach at the horrid sight of her servant being attacked from behind. Integra wasted no time, and like instinct had kicked in, she bolted for her father's desk to pull out a revolver that was loaded with silver bullets. Walter turned swiftly around and, within two strides, was at her side delicately, but firmly, attempting to take the gun away from her.

"My lady," he stated in an apologetic tone, "Please, allow me to handle this little skirmish. You should stay within the safety of these walls."

Integra shook her head vehemently and yanked the weapon free of his reach, "No. I cannot stand and watch as they taunt me on my own property! _I _will end them."

Walter blocked the door as she sheathed a sword into her belt. After years of fencing, it seemed almost a comforting act, though under the circumstances, she knew better than to spare a moment for nostalgia. Such times were made of innocence and fun, but now the growing young woman had no time for extracurricular activities as that. She turned to a very upset Walter and walked up to him, attempting to keep the calmest face upon her expression.

"Move, or I will be forced to move you," She threatened, but he did not heed her warning. She feinted left and lunged right in an attempt to juke him.

Walter mirrored her movements and almost fell for the trick; right as she was about to pass him and make a run for it, he caught Integra's waist and halted her advancement completely. She whirled around and grabbed his wrist, trying to pry his strong fingers off of her clothes. Beyond livid, she glared up into his eyes, prepared to burn them with all of her fury. But instead of looking into defiant and condescending eyes that wished to control her, like so many other times and people she had to deal with on a day to day basis, she saw his eyes begging her, imploring her, to remain.

"Integra, please," He all but whispered as his white gloves tightened their grip, "For the sake of my mental health and for your safety, please stay within the mansion. I _can_ handle this," He began to kneel in front of her.

"Walter, it is not a question of whether or not you can handle this, it is a question of my purpose here as–"

"Integra, if anything were to happen to you on _my_ watch…" Walter cautiously released her wrinkled blouse and placed both hands on her shoulders…just like her dad would do when he needed her to execute an important task of great weight.

"If anything were to happen to me on your watch that occurred because of something I had done, the fault would be mine," Integra finished.

"Not if I had the chance to stop you from harming yourself in the first place," Her butler stated with more force, and his fingers reflexively increased pressure.

Shots from outside of the mansion made both flinch suddenly. Integra felt compelled to help her servant, and what better way than to go down and present herself now? Not only would she finally prove her worth to the Convention and to the monarchy, but she would also prove herself to Alucard, who, despite his indenture, would never miss an opportunity to berate her on different topics, including the fact that she was young, a little girl, and _completely_ inexperienced in the dealings with vampires. It never ceased to irritate her when he would do that, and despite all efforts to burn him with the seals, to stab him on occasion, or to shoot him not completely by accident once, he continued with his venomous words that cut deeper than he realized. Half of the time, Integra understood it in taunt and joke, but she could not ignore the fact that his comments could be refrained from being stated in the first place, and that his personal mission was to irritate her. _To no end_.

However, her wellbeing was attached to his own, and since Walter grew older everyday to her eyes, even though he hadn't lost his touch as her servant, the thought of her now only fatherly figure injured was too much to bear. She had to do this for herself and for Hellsing; for personal matters, and for professional matters.

Integra cleared her throat, trying to ignore her retainer's pleading face filled with the emotions she saw on her father's death bed, "Walter…I'm sorry."

Walter bowed his head despairingly, "My lady, if you just–"

"I order you to step aside, butler," She commanded and placed her hands atop his. To her surprise, he dropped them instantly and slid them out underneath hers. Feeling just the cloth from her own blouse now, the absence of his warm hands, she began to feel completely alone and unsupported in her decision, as if it wasn't already highlighted by the raw anguish in his eyes.

"I suppose we shall have to fight side by side on this one," He muttered, "But under _no circumstances_ are you to step in front of me. I will lead."

Integra nodded, relieved that he was at least coming with her, protecting her at every step of the way, just like he promised her the day of her father's funeral.

.~.***.~.

Alucard sensed three bullets enter his chest. Their abrupt contact was enough to knock any man off of his feet, but a vampire Alucard was, and in the face of such childish pain he laughed openly, only angering his two opponents even more. This would prove to be a nice fight.

"Here I have two Section XIII agents. I thought I killed all of you back there," Alucard muttered.

"Do not mistake "injured" for "dead"," The younger one stated.

"Indeed, I won't next time," the vampire closed in for the kill.

"Oh, Ah wouldn't encircle us jist yit," The older one remarked, "Ya think us fools far messin wi' vampires, but there's a reason why we're still living: years o' experience."

Alucard paused, slightly agitated that the agent had been reading his moves, but continued forward. Instead of a moment to think of a quick and stinging remark back, he had a second to realize that the elder agent had pulled out something long and sharp.

Alucard chuckled at the weapon, "A bayonet? Surely, you jest."

"Why would Ah joke wi' a heathen, one o' the damned? The likes of ye deserve nowhere else tae be but in Hell!" The second agent shouted and lunged for Alucard, swinging his weapon in tow.

The vampire blinked at the agent's speed and quickly dodged the first blade with some ease, not noticing the second. Searing white hot agony lanced up his side as he felt the bayonet pierce his stomach. He reflexively gasped, though the necessity of needing air had rendered itself useless to him 558 years ago, and roared in anger, bringing his arms instinctively down upon the agent. Alucard's hands immediately found the agents' and he ripped the blades from the enemy so swiftly that Alucard heard fingers snap under his strength. With another moment to spare, Alucard hit the agent in an uppercut to the jaw so powerful that it sent the man up in the air to land on his back. The agent swore as he lifted himself up quickly and retreated backward a few steps, out of reach again. The vampire took this time to gently pull out the blade that was comfortably wedged in his side.

Alucard took a moment to analyze the agent. More credit had to be given to this human than he originally thought. Clearly the man was experienced, and clearly there were many a vampire slain by his hand. But what to do with him? The vampire wished that the paladin was a finer fight than a duel for one night. Gone were the times of fire and brimstone, where a man could openly duel with another of fine quality and combat. There were too few left who knew how to battle someone of The NoLife King's status, and Alucard could only hope that this no greater enemy would be worth his while.

"What is your name?" He asked with vengeance at the tip of his words.

"Father Alexander Anderson tae ye, heathen," He answered proudly, but his facial expression changed from one of pride to one of colorful outrage.

Alucard sensed it behind him and whirled around to punch the sneaking younger agent square in the chest, sending the boy clear across the courtyard and crashing through the glass table. Instantly, Alucard smelled blood covered and dripping in shards of glass and grinned at the delicious scent. Father Anderson's vein in his neck popped out and his fists clenched. He opened them up and four bayonets per hand appeared, making him look like he had sprouted claws.

"Stupid kid," The agent murmured to the side, "Ya dare lay a hand on a holy and divine agent?" Father Anderson asked rhetorically, already knowing the answer.

"It's too much fun to resist, really," Alucard verbally lashed.

Anderson advanced forward once more when a voice halted the duel.

"STOP!"

Both men paused and looked in the direction of their caller only to find a girl and an older man in stance and ready to continue the fight with his presence. Alucard's eyebrows furrowed at the sight of his master. Why hadn't Walter been able to stop this childish action of hers? This was hardly a setting in which Alucard could see her.

"And which lass is this?" Father Anderson asked.

"This "lass" will be called Sir Integral Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, heir and director to the Hellsing Order of Royal Protestant Knights," the young blonde stated with fervor, slightly excited that she could now use the entire title to anyone she so desired.

"My tha's a mouthful of useless words tae my ear, youn lass," Father Anderson smiled mockingly at her.

"My servant Walter accompanies me," Integra continued, ignoring his interruption as she continued with her own mocking formality of introducing everyone on stage, "We are on a mission from God as well, Father."

"And wha's that?" He turned himself toward her, already beginning to smile.

"To end you," Integra bluntly stated and pulled out her revolver.

Alucard grinned madly at the sight of her raw aggression. The fire had been stoked, the band aids of negotiation ripped, and now master and servant readily draw their weapons at the sight of the enemy with no hesitation. Reverence was his for the taking.


End file.
